Africa-Press – Namibia. LEADER and chief change campaigner of the Landless Peoples’ Movement Bernadus Swartbooi has urged the party’s regional and local authority representatives to honour the commitment on land delivery they made during election campaigns.
Swartbooi said LPM cannot fail the electorate in the delivery of land, as that is the basis upon which the party was started and the electorate gave it an overwhelming majority in the Hardap and //Kharas regions.
Swartbooi made the remarks at Keetmans-hoop on Thursday, where LPM regional and local authority leaders from across the country were gathered for a two-day government caucus. The government caucus is a platform LPM established to take stock of its leaders’ performance annually.
“We are supposed to lead in land delivery. So what have you done so far to transform the life of an individual within your jurisdiction?” Swartbooi asked.
Swartbooi said leaders across Africa face the challenge of implementation. However, he noted that leaders should no longer be in the planning and discussion stages, but should have executed their plans already.
“Do not get caught up in talking about what you are planning. When we come here, we expect you to give us a report on the houses you have handed over, land that was serviced, toilets you have built or electricity you have installed for somebody,” he said.
He did not mince his words when he warned that underperforming councillors will be withdrawn.
In the Hardap and //Kharas regions, about six councillors were withdrawn since last year for various reasons.
“I spoke to one councillor and asked him how many erven have you handed over. The councillor told me: ‘I was taking a nap and, therefore, I can’t really say right now’. Another one was drinking for one solid year with a Swapo party councillor, while another one was entertaining administrative staff to be appointed as a traffic officer. And councillors are receiving donations in their personal accounts. No, no, no,” he charged.
“Then when they are disciplined by the party and withdrawn, they tell the whole world we will fight you. Well, we as LPM will also fight you,” he said.
The meeting was also aimed at sharing the content of LPM’s plan titled ‘Building a capable state post Covid-19’, to create jobs and rebuild the country’s economy after the corona virus pandemic.
In the document, LPM states that the country needs a N$5 billion investment into the agricultural sector with a special focus on food security.
The party proposes that the Neckartal Dam should not only be a public-private partnership model, but that the government should buy land to start irrigation and production.
The party’s leader and chief strategist, Henny Seibeb, said currently Namib Mills has shown interest in investing in the agriculture scheme.
“We want the councillors to push for these developments and ensure that there is an element of community involvement and beneficiation. These are the opportunities they have to be aware of and work with,” said Seibeb.
However, a party is only as strong as the individual members, and a leadership that refrains from corruption and unethical dealings. LPMNational Council member Jeremiah Goeieman called upon the leadership to be ethical and righteous.
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